Pro golf in Ireland again at crossroads

PROFESSIONAL golf in this country is again at a crossroads after the revelation that Smurfit Kappa are withdrawing their sponsorship of the European Open with immediate effect.

No sooner had they issued that statement than the European Tour were canvassing the notion that they wouldn’t like to see the connection between one of their flagship tournaments and its home since 1995 summarily cut off. Instead, they appeared to be offering to put up some of the €7 million they received from SKG as compensation to keep the event at Straffan for one more year.

In return, they expected that it would be played on the Palmer (or original K Club) course rather than the Smurfit lay-out, where the tournament has been held for the past few years. Dr Michael Smurfit, co-owner of the fabulous Co Kildare complex, had no problem staging the European Open for one more year — except to insist it would have to be staged over the Smurfit rather than the Palmer course.